Egg carton



:t Q f1 ai mi 28 E@ Aug. 1s, 1959 F A GROSS 2,900,119

` EGG CARTON (Filed May 26, 1958 l 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ill Florence. Gross INVENToR.

F. A. GROSS EGG CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiL-.ed May 26, 1958 mmm INVENTOR.

FlorenceH. Gross yfrom. breakage.

Unit

This invention relates to cartons, and more particularly to a large capacity, pressed paperl pulp carton for'eggs adapted to hold eggs in horizontal y1ayers,witl1 side walls, top and bottom walls of the carton protectingthe eggs The usual egg carton is designed to hold `a dozen eggs in a `single layerfhaving either two rows of six eggs, or in three rows of four eggs. Thus eggs are bought at the market in units of twelve. Supermarkets and other high volume merchandisers, ifthey wish to sell a larger unit of eggs lat a cut price, have resorted to taping two or more cartons together, so that a customer may buy a quantity of eggs in onepakage and have the benefit of a discount in price.

This invention contemplates a carton for packaging multiple dozens of eggs, such as two dozen eggs, wherein the eggs are packaged in a single carton 'in horizontal layers. An upper layer of eggs is supported lat least partially by the carton side walls, so that pressure exerted on one layer of eggs is not transmitted directly to the adjacent layer producing potential breakage of both.

The main body or shell of the carton is readily manufactured from a unitary piece of processed paper pulp. This piece is formed with `a base or floor section, sections for making the end and side walls of the carton, and a' cover section, all joined together but foldable with respect to each other so that a box-like, rigid structure results. Inserted within this carton shell is a separable tray section made from a separate piece. The wall por-- tions of the carton shell are so designed that the tray section is suspended over the lower level of eggs.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to' provide an improved pressed paper pulp egg carton wherein a multiple number of eggs may be packaged in plural, horizontal ylayers with one layer spaced over another.

A corollary of the above is to provide a carton having the side walls, base or floor, and cover of thecarton are all formed integrally from one piece and which further includes -a separable tray section suspended by the side walls for nesting the upper layer of eggs.

A still further object is to provide an egg carton of the type described which includes structure suspending the separable tray within the interior'of the carton shell operable to prevent disarrangement of the tray section with respect to the carton shell and possible breakage of eggs. Y

A correlary of the above is to provide a carton having novel means for latching the cover section in a closing position, the cover section when latched in this posi- Patent C are shown, each row having sixrcavities.

tion positively locking the tray section in place over the bottom layer of eggs.

These and other objects und advantages `are attained by the invention, which is described hereinbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view illustrating the unitary piece of l 2,900,119 Patented Aug. 18, 1959 Fig; 5 is a 4section view along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2 illustrating the means employed for attaching together tabs at the end of the side walls to form opposite end Walls for the carton;

" Fig. y6 is a section view `along the line 6 6 in Fig. 3 showing the vmeans employed for attaching the cover section in a closing position; and Y Fig. 7 is a plan view of the separable tray section.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. l', 10 indicates a unitary piece of formed paper pulp stock of theY conventional type Vfrom which Yegg cartons are made. Piece 10 comprises a substantially rectangular oor or base section`12, and a pair of elongated, substantially rectangular side strip sections 14, 16, each joined yalong one of their edges through foldlinesv 18, 20 Yto oor or base section 12. Ioinedto an edge'of strip 16 opposite to the edge which is joined to floor section 12, is a web portion 21, and a cover section 22 having a rectangular outline substantially corresponding to that of iloor section 12. The connection between cover section 22 and webV section 21 is through foldlines 2 3, 2.4.

Base or oor section 12 has formed therein plural, regularly spaced, egg receiving cavities 26. These are made in the lconventional manner, as by pressing the iloor"sectionbetween forms. ln Fig. 1, the cavities `are shown recessed rearwardly from the plane'of the page. The egg receivingeavities 'have flattened ends 28 (see Fig. 3') which join with'side wall portions of the cavity to provide support for the base and sides of an egg shell. Referring again to Fig. 1, two rows of cavities Y Thus base 12 constitutes 'a base tray section for holding eggs.

Strip vsections 14, 16 are each somewhat longer than base section 12. Center portions of these strip sections, i.e.,th ose portions between the dotted lines A-,A and B-jBQinFig. l, function as one pair of opposed side wallsin the vcompleted carton shell, The end portions of `strips' 14, 16, which are referred to herein as tab por.- tions, when joined together as will be described, make up the otherfpair of opposed side walls in the carton.

' Strip section' 16 has prepared at each end thereof a pressed indent, indicated at 30, 31, respectively. These indents, which project upwardly from the plane of the page in Fig. 1,'are substantially of the same size, and each has a substantially lineal locking edge 32 along one side'thereof. l Y

n Strip section 14 which is somewhat longer than strip section 16, and has cut through each end thereof slots, indicated at 36, 37, respectively. -These slots have a length somewhat exceeding the length `of tabs 3 0, 31. The slots are spaced from foldline 18 approximately the same' distance that indents 30, 31 are spaced from foldline 20.

Coverl section 2 2 isl concave, with the center 38 of the coversection shown recessed rearwardly from the plane of the page in Fig. 1. Bounding the concave center of section 22 is a substantially continuous ilange 41, interrupted by notches 39 and 40 cutA therein. The cover section also is provided with two spaced button slots 42 near the edge thereof but inwardly from ilange 41.

Strip section 14 has projecting from the edge opposite vfoldjline 1S a-pair of button tabs 43. These are spaced from each other a distance equal to the spacing between button slots 42, and eachhas formed in its end an indent 46, similar to indent 30, 31, and projecting outwardly from the plane `in the page in Fig. 1.

A separable, elevated tray section which is suspended in theV carton shell is show n 4in Fig. 7. The tray section 50 hasV press-formed therein plural egg receiving cavities 52 simil-ar to egg receiving cavities 29 in the floor section. Around the periphery of the tray section is a sub..

stantially continuous flange 53. Flange or lip 53 is interrupted by notches 56, S7. The tray section also has a pair of turned over, locking flanges 53 carried at each end of the ytray section.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, .and 6, the carton shell is completed by folding over the various strip sections. Strip sections 14 and 16 are bent upwardlyY from floor section 12, with the concave, egg receiving cavities projecting downwardly from the carton interior. The ends of strip sections i4, 16 are then folded over at each end, so that adjacent sets of ends overlap. lIndents 30, `31 at the ends of strip section 16 .are then inserted through slots 36, 37 to make .a locking connection as shown in Fig. 5. The side walls of the completed carton shell are thus suitably interbraced to form a rigid support for the detachable tray section.

It will be remembered that cover section 22 is joined t strip section 16 through web portion 2l. The cover section is folded over the carton shell by creasing portion 21 down its center, as at 60. The `lower horizontal half of web portion 21 carried `at the top of one carton side wall, and the upper edges of the other side walls, constitute support-ing portions or shoulders for mounting detachable tray section 50.

Tray section 50 is deposited on these supporting portions, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Locking flanges 53 extend outwardly on either end of the carton, with the turned over ends of the flanges snugly fitting over the carton end side walls. Flanges 58 prevent shifting of the tray section longitudinally of the carton. Shifting of tray section 50 from side-to-side is prevented by the inner corner of crease 6i) engaging an edge of ange 53, and by button tabs 43 and 44 as will be described.

To close the carton, cover section 22 is superimposed over tray section `50 with ange 41 resting on flange 53. In this condition of the parts, notches 39, 40 register with notches 56, 57. Button tabs 43 fit within the notches, and the indents at the ends of tabs 43 may be inserted Within button slots 42 to lock the cover section in a closing position. Button tabs 43 hold the tray section from shifting both longitudinally and transversely of the carton shell.

Instead of using asubstantially continuous supporting shoulder (as presented by the upper edges of the side walls and the lower horizontal half or shelf portion of web 21) to mount tray section Si), the side walls of the carton shell may be provided with knobs arranged substantially on a common horizontal plane when the carton shell is assembled and protruding inwardly from the side walls of the carton. These knobs would be located slightly below the top edges of the side walls and would support tray section 50 inside the carton shell with the side walls of the carton bounding the tray section `and holding the latter from shifting movement.

Prom the above description, it should be obviousrthat the carton of the invention has several advantages over those known heretofore. Plural eggs may be packaged in horizontal rows, and `sold in multiples of a dozen. Tray section 50 is supported against transverse and longitudinal `shifting of the carton shell but is readily removed to present access to the lower level of eggs. When the carton is closed, the eggs are firmly held against breakage.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A formed paper pulp stock egg carton comprising a base tray section having formed therein .a plural number of regularly spaced egg receiving cavities, side walls joined to said base tray section extending upwardly therefrom and having upper supporting Vportions spaced from said base tray section, said side walls being interbraced to form a rigid supporting structure, an elevated tray section having support portions around the periphery thereof with said support portions carrying the elevated tray section on the supporting portions of said side Walls, said elevated tray section having formed therein a plural number of regularly spaced egg receiving cavities, a

cover section superimposable over said elevated tray section, and means joining said cover section to said side walls with the cover section closing oit the top of said carton.

2. A formed paper pulp stock egg carton comprising a base tray section having formed therein a plural nurnlber of regularly spaced egg receiving cavities, side walls joined to said base tray section extending upwardly therefrom and having upper supporting portions spaccd 'from said base tray section, said side walls being interbraced to form a rigid supporting structure, an elevated tray section separable from said base tray section and having at the periphery thereof support portions for mounting the section, said supportportions detachably mounting said elevated tray section on the supporting portions of said side walls, said elevated tray section having formed therein a plural number of regularly spaced egg receiving cavities, a cover section superimposable over said elevated tray section, and hinge means joining said cover section to one of said side Walls.

3. A formed paper pulp sto'cl; egg carton comprising a one-piece body portion and a detachable tray section positioned therein, the latter having plural egg receiving cavities formed therein, said body portion having a oor section of substantially rectangular outline with egg receiving cavities formed therein, a pair of elongated strip sections forming a first pair of oppositely disposed side walls, each of said strip sections being joined along one edge to one of a pair of oppositely disposed edges of said foor section, at least one of said strip sections having extension tab means integral therewith forming a second pair of oppositely disposed side walls for the carton, and a rectangular cover section integral with and joined along one edge to one of said strip sections, said cover section being joined to an edge of said one strip section opposite to the edge of the section which is joined to said oor section.

4. The carton of claim 3 wherein said extension tab means comprises a tab portion integral with each end of each strip section, the tab portions at adjacent sets of ends of said strip sections being joined together to form one of the side walls of said second pair.

5. A formed paper pulp stock egg carton comprising a one-piece body portion and a detachable tray section positioned therein, the latter having plural egg receiving cavities formed therein, and support flange portions projecting outwardly from opposite ends of the tray section, said body portion having a door section of substantially rectangular outline with egg receiving cavities formed therein, a pair of elongated strip sections forming a rst pair of oppositely disposed side walls, each of said strip sections being joined along one edge to one of a pair of oppositely disposed edges of said floor section, at least one of said strip sections having extension tab means integral therewith forming a second pair of oppositely disposed side walls for the carton, said support ange portions of said tray section resting on one of said pairof side walls.

6. The carton of claim 5 wherein said detachable tray section has around the periphery thereof a substantially continuous seating flange, and wherein said side walls have at their upper extremities supporting portions defining a substantial continuons ridge extending around the outline of said oor section but at an elevation raised therefrom, said ridge supporting said seating flange of said tray section.

7. The carton of claim 5 which further comprises means interposed between said other strip section and said cover section detachably locking the cover section in a closing position, said means extending through notches formed in said seating flange.

References Cited in the le of this patent V`UNITED STATES PATENTS 393,564 Hoyt Nov. 27, 188s 

